Chick with crooked beak... What does this mean??

[astylishgirl]

One of my new little Silkies has sort of a crooked beak. The top doesn't fit quite right over the bottom. What does this mean?? How bad is this???

 

[Judy]

It's usually called crossbeak here. A search will provide lots of info. Here is one thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=166468

 

[barnwife]

It is crossbeak. It gets worse and worse as they age. It can be passed to further generations from this chicken.

BUT they can also lead helathy productive lives...just have a bit of trouble eating.

There is no cure, just constant watching to make sure they are not starving to death, or culling it early.

Either way, it depends usually on what you are concentrating on as far as birds. If they are more of pets, production, show, etc.

I am so sorry to hear about your little one.

 

[kycklingmamma]

We have one, Viola, but we frequesntly call her "Hairlip" she is a little over a year old. She is doing great, lays eggs everyday just about (she is an australorp) and she is living a "normal" life. We do have to make sure she gets her feed ona deeper bowl so she can stick her whole beak into the feed that way she eats better. I know not to let her eggs hatch as I understand it is hereditary.
Her beak is severly crossed, we sometimes trim it with petnail trimmers or the pedipaws, but she hates it.

Kycklingmamma

 

[astylishgirl]

Poor little thing. It is, of course, our favorite. Why do we love the bird with the broken wing so much. My favorite dog is always the runt. This little bird will be a pet and I will not allow it to breed or have hatching eggs. I don't know if it is a roo or hen yet!

Should I call My Pet Chicken and ask for another?